Chapter 30: Grand Tutor Gu, Wielding Absolute Power
A flicker of regret crossed Gu Yan's eyes at the words, but he remained silent.
Gu Yuan's expression turned grave. "Brother, has there been some change in the Eastern Palace?"
Lately, the Crown Prince had grown increasingly diligent. While publicly deferential to the Grand Tutor, he frequently consorted with other officials in private, showing signs of growing influence and an eagerness to shake off control.
Even Gu Yuan had received invitations from the Crown Prince, but heeding his brother's counsel, he had ignored them.
In Gu Yuan's heart, the most treasonous act would be to help the Crown Prince seize the throne. Yet, given the current situation, it was uncertain whether the Crown Prince would remember the House of Jingyuan favorably once he ascended.
"It is nothing."
Gu Yan said calmly, "As commander, you should devote yourself to drilling troops at the military camp. Do not slack off."
The tasks he had to undertake were fraught with peril; a single misstep could lead to utter ruin. Everything had to be failsafe. Suppressing the fleeting, improper thoughts that had surfaced, Gu Yan looked up at Gu Yuan.
"A-Yuan, which young lady from a noble family has caught your eye? Mingwu and Mingsong are growing up, and without a proper lady of the house to manage the household, it’s not good for the children."
Gu Yuan’s heart tightened. The last time his brother had urged him to marry, he had used official duties as an excuse to delay for a few days. When his brother didn’t bring it up again, he had fooled himself into thinking the matter was over.
His brother never spoke without purpose; every word carried weight.
He muttered, "The two concubines in my household still serve their purpose."
Mingwu and Mingsong were his sons born to concubines. In the past, the old lady had urged him to take a wife, but as the two boys grew into outstanding young men, she had stopped mentioning it. His inner household was neat and tranquil, which suited him just fine.
Gu Yan shook his head disapprovingly. "After all, they are just concubines—their standing is neither proper nor rightful. You should choose a good woman from a noble family to be your wife and manage the household affairs."
Gu Yuan thought for a moment and chuckled wryly. "Those young ladies are all around Ming Wei's age. At my age, it would be improper to take advantage of a young girl."
Gu Yan said lightly, "It would be their fortune to marry into the Marquis's household. My brother is both virtuous and handsome—how could they possibly be wronged?"
Driven by a tacit understanding, Gu Yan was determined to see Gu Yuan married. Yet, he did not want to settle for just anyone. His younger brother deserved nothing less than a young, beautiful noblewoman of good lineage from a respectable family.
"This matter is settled. Our mother is elderly, so let your sister-in-law help you look first. There’s no rush; take your time to choose."
Gu Yan laid down the law. The old Marquis had died early, and in Gu Yuan’s eyes, his elder brother was like a father. He nodded and said, "I leave it entirely to you, brother."
...
After Gu Yuan left, Gu Yan crossed his legs and leaned back casually in his chair. He pulled out a confidential dispatch from Yangzhou on the desk.
As usual, it was filled with petty squabbles among women, with no useful information. He folded the letter and rubbed his temples wearily.
"Attendants—"
He ordered, "My wife's family will be arriving in the capital in the next few days. Go wait outside the city to ensure no one harasses them."
He had originally planned for the Yan family to travel to the capital by water, but unexpectedly, the entire family had come—even the widowed daughter, along with the elderly, weak, women, and children. They had no choice but to travel by land, which was slower than by water. With the imperial examinations approaching, the city gates were under strict checks. If no one went to meet them, they might be delayed for several more days.
He harbored a bold conjecture, but he would wait until the Yan family arrived in the capital before making any plans.
***
Grand Tutor Gu kept his promises. The last time he had promised Yan Xuerui to tour the mountains and waters, the emperor had disrupted their plans. This time, he simply took an extra day off, combining it with his regular scheduled day off to make a total of three days. The two of them would stay in the mountains for two nights, temporarily escaping the bustle of the capital.
A trip for the couple was quite a major production.
For Gu Yan, it was simple—he only needed to bring changes of clothes, his official caps, memorials, and documents. Even while on leave, he could not completely detach himself from his busy official duties.
For Yan Xuerui, however, it was much more complicated. Since they would be staying overnight in the mountains, Bi He spent the previous day packing their luggage, categorizing everything and labeling them neatly with tags: bathing perfumes, bedding incense, silk dresses, rouge and powder, pearl hairpins and step-shakers, food utensils...
All these bits and pieces filled dozens of trunks and boxes, filling two large carts. There were also over thirty maidservants to attend to them and more than a hundred guards. The procession stretched for miles along the busiest street in the capital, Zhuque Avenue, drawing turned heads.
The Number One Scholar Lodge was located in the center of Zhuque Avenue. Its name, meaning "Number One Scholar," made it a favorite among scholars coming to the capital for the examinations. The grand procession naturally caught the attention of the examination candidates, who paused their cups and chopsticks to lean over the railings and watch.
A tall, lean scholar in blue exclaimed, "Wow, such extravagance! I wonder which powerful family this is."
Someone replied, "As the saying goes, if a brick falls from the city tower in the capital, it could kill three seventh-rank minor officials. Brother Guo, why are you so surprised?"
"Well, I certainly am not as well-traveled as you, Brother Zhang. Why don’t you tell us which seventh-rank minor official these attendants belong to?"
"Guo Congjia, do you even understand human language?"
"Zhang Yi, what do you mean by that? I’ll have you know, I’ve put up with you for far too long!"
...
The two scholars, Guo and Zhang, were on the verge of a fight. As tensions rose, another person quickly stepped in to mediate.
"Calm down, both of you. We are all classmates now and may even become colleagues in the future. There’s no need for such unpleasantness."
"Cool off, both of you, cool off."
With the imperial examinations approaching, no one wanted to be arrested for brawling and thrown into the Ministry of Justice dungeons. Guo Congjia snorted coldly and said, "Forget it. I’m magnanimous and won’t stoop to your level."
The other scholar, Zhang Yi, had a round face, a short and stout build, and an air of wealth.
He fumed, "You won’t stoop to my level? You country bumpkin! That down there is the procession of Grand Tutor Gu. Can’t you see the huge 'Gu' character? Are you blind?"
"Oh, someone from a small, insignificant family like yours probably has no idea who Grand Tutor Gu is."
"Let me tell you—he is the current Crown Prince’s teacher, his disciples are spread throughout the court, and he is the chief examiner for this year’s imperial examinations."
"If you don’t even know Grand Tutor Gu, how do you expect to pass the examinations? Even if you wear out every book you own, you’re bound to fail!"
With that, Zhang Yi strutted away arrogantly. Guo Congjia’s handsome face flushed red with anger. The person who had tried to mediate earlier pulled him aside and said, "Brother Guo, calm down. It’s not worth clashing with someone from such a wealthy family."
Guo Congjia glanced at the speaker. He was of average height, with an ordinary face, wearing a faded blue gown that looked even more worn than his own.
Suspicious, Guo asked, "Where are you from, brother? I don’t believe I’ve seen you before..."
Among the scholars preparing for the examinations, even if they didn’t know each other’s names, they would at least recognize each other’s faces.
"My surname is Chang, single name Qi. I’m ashamed to say my family is poor. I can’t afford to stay at the Number One Scholar Lodge—I’m just here for a cup of tea."
...
Although Guo Congjia was not from a wealthy or prestigious family, the Guo family were local gentry, and their ancestors had once produced famous officials. Now, the family had declined. Guo was knowledgeable, enjoyed making friends, and was known for his sense of loyalty among the examination candidates.
Meeting the even more destitute Chang Qi, who had just helped him out, Guo immediately offered to be generous, but Chang Qi declined and asked, "Brother Guo... you and that Brother Zhang seem to have had previous disagreements?"
Guo Congjia snorted coldly. That Zhang fellow, relying on his family’s wealth, looked down on ordinary scholars like them who wore simple clothing. Guo similarly disdained those spoiled, wealthy idlers. Coincidentally, they had been traveling together and had accumulated quite a few grievances along the way.
He believed that books held golden houses. He had studied day and night, nearly ruining his eyes, all because he was driven by a determination to prove himself. After the examinations, when the results were announced, he would show Zhang Yi whether studying hard was useful or whether his family’s money was.
After hearing this, Chang Qi hesitated and said, "Brother Guo, actually... well, I’m not sure if I should say this."
He hemmed and hawed for a while before finally saying, under Guo’s repeated questioning, "Studying is one thing, but the imperial examinations are another. Doing well in studies doesn’t necessarily guarantee a high rank or the chance to meet the emperor and become his student."
"Money can make it happen."
"The one that just passed by..."
Guo Congjia frowned, "Grand Tutor Gu?"
"Exactly!"
Chang Qi asked, "What do you think of Grand Tutor Gu's entourage?"
Guo Congjia thought for a moment and said, "Lavish and showy."
"Now, what do you think of Grand Tutor Gu's status in the court?"
"He holds sway over the court."
"Ah, that's exactly it!"
Seeing no one around, Chang Qi lowered his voice, "Let me tell you, in recent years, Grand Tutor Gu has served as the chief examiner for the imperial examinations most of the time."
"If you want to pass the exams, it's quite simple—prepare tens of thousands in gold taels in advance and go to the Gu residence to 'pay respects.' You're guaranteed to have your name on the list."
Guo Congjia was shocked, "That can't be true!"
"Such an important matter as the imperial examinations—how can the court not intervene?"
"Besides... even though Grand Tutor Gu is the chief examiner, our dynasty uses copied scripts and anonymous grading, with multiple grand academicians reviewing together. How could one person rig the results?"
Guo Congjia naturally refused to believe it. To all scholars, the imperial examinations were a sacred ground, not to be defiled. Chang Qi waved his hand and laughed, "Why go through all that trouble, Brother Guo? Think about it—he is the chief examiner."
"He decides what's on the exam; it's entirely up to Grand Tutor Gu."
"I suspect that Zhang Yi, so sure of himself, has likely already visited the Gu residence and obtained the exam questions. It's just pitiful for us scholars without money or connections, destined to become stepping stones for others."
"Tragic and lamentable!"
Chang Qi spoke with indignation, then quickly glanced around and said, "Brother Guo, I see you as a righteous man, which is why I dared to share this dangerous secret with you. Just treat it as drunken ramblings."
"Besides, there are hundreds of candidates in the top three ranks combined. Not everyone has such deep pockets. If we work hard, there might still be a chance."
Guo Congjia's expression shifted several times before he gritted his teeth and said, "I don't believe it. His Majesty is wise and mighty; he would never allow corrupt officials to hold sway."
Though he had never met Grand Tutor Gu in person and had only seen his procession from afar, in Guo Congjia's words, Gu Yan had already become a "corrupt official."
After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Don't worry. Although I have no connections in the capital, my family is well-off. I have a... distant cousin studying at the Egret Mountain Academy in the capital. He is highly learned and has even been received by dignitaries."
The relation was very distant, almost beyond the five degrees of mourning. Before coming to the capital, his father had written a letter asking this cousin to look after him. Unwilling to be the poor relative seeking favors, he now had no choice but to swallow his pride and pay a visit.
If this were true, he would risk everything, Guo Congjia's life, to expose this matter to the world and restore justice for all scholars!
***
With a woman in his arms, Grand Tutor Gu, immersed in warmth and fragrance, remained unaware of the brewing storm—or perhaps he knew but did not care. Upon learning of his arrival, Egret Mountain was sealed off in advance, and unrelated people were cleared out. The fresh air Yan Xuerui had been longing for was, in reality, just a change of location.
They traveled by carriage to the foot of the mountain, then by sedan chair to the back quarters of the academy. The surroundings were silent, with only the faint chirping of birds. Looking around, she was still accompanied by Bi He and the others, using the same familiar items.
Yan Xuerui comforted herself, thinking that at least she could enjoy the mountain views, making the trip not a complete waste.
Noticing her fixed gaze out the window, Gu Yan held her hand and said, "The mountain air is chilly; be careful not to catch a cold."
With that, he ordered the window closed and called for a cup of hot tea.
As wisps of steam rose from the teacup, Yan Xuerui lowered her eyes and said softly, "You may go attend to your matters, My Lord. There's no need to worry about me."
Gu Yan's tone carried a hint of apology, "I'm sorry. I promised to spend these few days with you. The head of the academy invited us, and since our Ming Wei is under his care, I can't refuse him this courtesy."
"I understand. Do you think I'm that unreasonable? Please go ahead."
Yan Xuerui smiled bitterly. It wasn't because of that... but never mind, there was no use explaining to him.
Gu Yan paused and said, "Rest for now. I'll call Ming Wei to keep you company."
Yan Xuerui shook her head, "At this hour, Ming Wei should be studying. Don't disturb her."
Gu Yan frowned, "You are her real mother. What could be more important than her mother..."
"My Lord."
Yan Xuerui set down the teacup, her jade-like fingertips gently brushing the back of his hand, her voice softening.
"I'm a bit tired. I need some time alone."